This invention relates to a silver halide photographic element containing an acylacetanilide yellow dye-forming coupler having a phenoxy coupling-off group and an anilide ring bearing a certain para substituent group.
Color silver halide photographic elements are well-known in the art. They typically include one or more light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers sensitive to blue light that contain a yellow dye-forming coupler capable of producing a yellow image dye upon development. Most common among the suitable yellow dye-forming couplers are those based on acylacetanilide compounds. Typically the compounds are pivaloyl acetanilides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,114 of Lussier et al., discloses a certain pivaloyl acetanilide coupler that contains a particular phenoxy group in the anilide ballast and provides desirable dye stability. U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,683 of Goddard et al., discloses a certain pivaloyl acetanilide coupler that contains a particular oxy group on the anilide ring of the ballast and provides desirable dye light stability.
While such compounds have been useful for providing yellow dye of the desirable density and hue needed for color imaging, further improvements in the photographic properties are needed.
It is a problem to be solved to provide a photographic element that provides a yellow dye-forming coupler that has an improved combination of reactivity, and dye dark stability.
The invention provides a color photographic element comprising a yellow dye-forming coupler having formula I: 
wherein:
B is a substituent containing 6 or more carbon atoms;
L is a linking group bonded to the anilide ring by a carbon, sulfur, or oxygen atom;
R is a substituent and n is 0-3;
X is a solubilizing group containing an acidic proton;
Y is a substituent; and
Z is selected from the group consisting of H, chloro, an alkoxy group and an aryloxy group.
The invention also provides a coupler compound, a packaged element, and a method of forming an image in an element of the invention.
The element provides an improved combination of reactivity and stability.